Retrieving the real refractive index of mono- and polydisperse colloids from reflectance near the critical angle

We investigate the accuracy in retrieving the real refractive index of submicron aerosol particles, at a visible wavelength, from near critical angle reflectance measurements of a dilute suspension of the aerosol. A coherent scattering model (CSM) is used to model the coherent reflectance from the colloidal suspension. We use an extension of the model for polydisperse particles to properly account for the modified size distribution close to the incident medium to colloid interface. We perform a rigorous sensitivity analysis, for both the monodisperse and polydisperse models, to determine how experimental uncertainties propagate into uncertainty in the retrieval of real refractive index. The effect of non-spherical scattering was included in the sensitivity analysis by using T-matrix methods. Experimental reflectance data, at a wavelength of 635 nm, were obtained for monodisperse spherical latex particles, a polydisperse sand sample and a polydisperse volcanic ash sample. We show that the retrieved real refractive index for these particles is consistent with values obtained using other techniques.